Last visit was: 24 Apr 2024, 16:46 It is currently 24 Apr 2024, 16:46

Close
GMAT Club Daily Prep
Thank you for using the timer - this advanced tool can estimate your performance and suggest more practice questions. We have subscribed you to Daily Prep Questions via email.

Customized
for You

we will pick new questions that match your level based on your Timer History

Track
Your Progress

every week, we’ll send you an estimated GMAT score based on your performance

Practice
Pays

we will pick new questions that match your level based on your Timer History
Not interested in getting valuable practice questions and articles delivered to your email? No problem, unsubscribe here.
Close
Request Expert Reply
Confirm Cancel
avatar
Manager
Manager
Joined: 03 Jul 2014
Posts: 93
Own Kudos [?]: 21 [0]
Given Kudos: 3
Location: India
Send PM
User avatar
Manager
Manager
Joined: 09 Jun 2015
Status:Accepted
Posts: 65
Own Kudos [?]: 43 [0]
Given Kudos: 1
Location: United States (IN)
Concentration: General Management, Healthcare
Schools: Harvard Business School - Class of 2017
GMAT 1: 710 Q47 V40
GPA: 3.7
WE:Corporate Finance (Pharmaceuticals and Biotech)
Send PM
User avatar
SVP
SVP
Joined: 23 Mar 2014
Posts: 1732
Own Kudos [?]: 352 [0]
Given Kudos: 0
Send PM
avatar
Current Student
Joined: 10 Dec 2013
Posts: 39
Own Kudos [?]: 17 [0]
Given Kudos: 0
Send PM
Re: Current Student Blogs [#permalink]
FROM uwengdori - Current Student: 2 months away from finishing MBA






Sorry about late post! It’s already been more than two months since my last post. I’ve been busy. I can’t believe I have less than two months away from graduating from school. Here’s what I’ve been up to

1. Job search

I am still actively looking for a job. I’ve had a few interviews, and a lot of rejections. I’m used to it since undergrad, so I just got to keep tailoring my CV, be confident and cross fingers.

2. Workout

I’ll be honest. I actually injured myself about four months ago and couldn’t workout properly until recently. I feel so weak now.

3. Classes

I’ve been taking courses I want for my second year. This term, I’m taking technology strategy and catastrophic failures in organizations. I’ve always been a fan of disaster movies that discuss ‘what if’ scenarios. We are so used to everyday life that sometimes I think we are unaware what kind of unimaginable shift is approaching. In that sense, the course taught me about biases, examples, and ways to deal with such failures.

 

I noticed that 2nd year definitely feels slower. I think it’s probably because I already took intensive courses as well as a summer course that took significant amount of burden off my shoulders this term so that I can specifically focus on job search and certifications.

I actually have been receiving a number of questions from prospective rotman buddies and that is why I’m thinking of making a podcast or seriously discuss about my journey at Rotman in a few weeks. Remember that Rotman accepts candidates as late as May, meaning you can still take GMAT, and still go for it if you think now’s good time for career shifting or studying.

See you guys soon.

 


This Blog post was imported into the forum automatically. We hope you found it helpful. Please use the Kudos button if you did, or please PM/DM me if you found it disruptive and I will take care of it. -BB
User avatar
Manager
Manager
Joined: 09 Jun 2015
Status:Accepted
Posts: 65
Own Kudos [?]: 43 [0]
Given Kudos: 1
Location: United States (IN)
Concentration: General Management, Healthcare
Schools: Harvard Business School - Class of 2017
GMAT 1: 710 Q47 V40
GPA: 3.7
WE:Corporate Finance (Pharmaceuticals and Biotech)
Send PM
Re: Current Student Blogs [#permalink]
FROM Ambitiousbusinessguy: Reasons Behind Studying An Online MBA Programme
Online courses in general, gives you the opportunity to enhance your career and persue your dreams. Over and above online courses an online courses like online management course makes the same much affordable for the learners. If you a doing a full time job and you cannot attend regular classes, this is the best for you. […]

https://pocketfriendlystudy.wordpress.com/2016/02/22/reasons-behind-studying-an-online-mba-programme/


This Blog post was imported into the forum automatically. We hope you found it helpful. Please use the Kudos button if you did, or please PM/DM me if you found it disruptive and I will take care of it. -BB
User avatar
SVP
SVP
Joined: 23 Mar 2014
Posts: 1732
Own Kudos [?]: 352 [0]
Given Kudos: 0
Send PM
Re: Current Student Blogs [#permalink]
FROM Financial Times MBA Blog: Can China afford to grow old before it gets rich?
Expert insights show the nation's economy is still viable in the long term but could be threatened by an ageing population

Read more
This Blog post was imported into the forum automatically. We hope you found it helpful. Please use the Kudos button if you did, or please PM/DM me if you found it disruptive and I will take care of it. -BB
User avatar
MBA Blogger
Joined: 13 Apr 2013
Posts: 103
Own Kudos [?]: 42 [0]
Given Kudos: 9
Concentration: General Management, Nonprofit
GMAT 1: 510 Q29 V31
GMAT 2: 590 Q32 V38
WE:Research (Non-Profit and Government)
Send PM
Re: Current Student Blogs [#permalink]
FROM Sarah's MBA Journey: Audible has some gmat books. There also some pod casts with videos by khan academy that are good. My other suggestion would be gmat Manhattan online interactive tool. Used that when they trailed it and my IR score went from 2 to 7.

This Blog post was imported into the forum automatically. We hope you found it helpful. Please use the Kudos button if you did, or please PM/DM me if you found it disruptive and I will take care of it. -BB
User avatar
SVP
SVP
Joined: 23 Mar 2014
Posts: 1732
Own Kudos [?]: 352 [0]
Given Kudos: 0
Send PM
Re: Current Student Blogs [#permalink]
FROM Financial Times MBA Blog: After two years of toil the end is in sight
As he enters his final term, Brenden Sheehan has only three courses left and feels surreal to know it is almost over

Read more
This Blog post was imported into the forum automatically. We hope you found it helpful. Please use the Kudos button if you did, or please PM/DM me if you found it disruptive and I will take care of it. -BB
avatar
Current Student
Joined: 20 Oct 2014
Posts: 56
Own Kudos [?]: 6 [0]
Given Kudos: 0
Send PM
Re: Current Student Blogs [#permalink]
FROM gmat4IMD: Lights, Camera, Action!
The last couple of weeks were totally action packed. Starting
right from the storyboarding where we learnt that presentation is not all about
slides but how they are connected to each other to tell a compelling story. The
most important part of a presentation is to be able to answer the “so what”
question based on the content in the slides.
But, we learnt from a British actor, Richard Hallo, that
presentation is not all about what we put in the slides rather what we show
through our body language. Every day, people surrounding us interpret our body
language in different ways and more often than not the interpretation turns out
to be wrong. As a leader in tough situations, all of our signals are subject to
interpretation by others. Hence, we learnt to concentrate in the non-verbal
element. Richard has a great sense of humor and he forced us to learn the
obvious.
We ended the week presenting the industry analysis that we
had been working on for the past month and a half. The IMD experience is
nothing but a roller coaster ride. By the time, you think it is going to be
easy, the next one hits you harder. This week was all about the build up to the
dreaded 48-hour integrative exercise. We got to solve a case in our respective
groups. It was intense but we even managed to squeeze a birthday party in for
10 minutes. It was an amazing experience that made us factor in the uncertainties
in the real world and how we would address the time pressure and still manage
to work in a group.
With exams fast approaching, it is no time to put our legs
up and relax just as yet. Let me get ready for the Finance lecture on Monday.
Have a great weekend!!!
This Blog post was imported into the forum automatically. We hope you found it helpful. Please use the Kudos button if you did, or please PM/DM me if you found it disruptive and I will take care of it. -BB
avatar
Current Student
Joined: 20 Oct 2014
Posts: 56
Own Kudos [?]: 6 [0]
Given Kudos: 0
Send PM
Re: Current Student Blogs [#permalink]
FROM gmat4IMD: It’s a beautiful day!
Though IMD MBA life is hectic, it is very important to take time out to enjoy the real beauty of Switzerland. IMD is located in such a serene and picturesque environment, the whole experience is literally a hop away. Last week, my wife and I managed to go for a walk to Pully on a beautiful day last week. A few pictures to depict the beauty of this stunning place.




This Blog post was imported into the forum automatically. We hope you found it helpful. Please use the Kudos button if you did, or please PM/DM me if you found it disruptive and I will take care of it. -BB
User avatar
SVP
SVP
Joined: 23 Mar 2014
Posts: 1732
Own Kudos [?]: 352 [0]
Given Kudos: 0
Send PM
Re: Current Student Blogs [#permalink]
FROM Financial Times MBA Blog: Edinburgh, its castle and the culture
Although the city is steeped in history, it is a wonderful blend of chic cosmopolitan elegance and buzz

Read morehttps://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/ft/m ... okhwGfWRA4
This Blog post was imported into the forum automatically. We hope you found it helpful. Please use the Kudos button if you did, or please PM/DM me if you found it disruptive and I will take care of it. -BB
User avatar
Manager
Manager
Joined: 09 Jun 2015
Status:Accepted
Posts: 65
Own Kudos [?]: 43 [0]
Given Kudos: 1
Location: United States (IN)
Concentration: General Management, Healthcare
Schools: Harvard Business School - Class of 2017
GMAT 1: 710 Q47 V40
GPA: 3.7
WE:Corporate Finance (Pharmaceuticals and Biotech)
Send PM
Re: Current Student Blogs [#permalink]
FROM Ambitiousbusinessguy: The future of social impact at Kellogg
By Eric Wulf The Kellogg Net Impact Club recently interviewed Megan Kashner ’03, Kellogg’s new director of social impact. Kashner brings a wealth of knowledge and experience from the social and non-profit sectors. Kashner is founder and CEO of Benevolent, a non-profit organization that redesigned how people experience the stories of low-income families and how […]

https://kelloggmbastudents.wordpress.com/2016/03/08/the-future-of-social-impact-at-kellogg/


This Blog post was imported into the forum automatically. We hope you found it helpful. Please use the Kudos button if you did, or please PM/DM me if you found it disruptive and I will take care of it. -BB
User avatar
Manager
Manager
Joined: 09 Jun 2015
Status:Accepted
Posts: 65
Own Kudos [?]: 43 [1]
Given Kudos: 1
Location: United States (IN)
Concentration: General Management, Healthcare
Schools: Harvard Business School - Class of 2017
GMAT 1: 710 Q47 V40
GPA: 3.7
WE:Corporate Finance (Pharmaceuticals and Biotech)
Send PM
Re: Current Student Blogs [#permalink]
1
Bookmarks
FROM Ambitiousbusinessguy: How to pick the right business school for your MBA
Your first task is to define what you are looking for in your MBA, where you see yourself afterwards and how much effort you are willing to put into the program. Before you even start to look at schools, you should ask yourself the following questions:

  • Do you want to study abroad or would you prefer to remain in the country where you are right now? If abroad – are you planning to return or would you rather settle down somewhere else?

[*]What is your main intention of the MBA? It could be a planned change of industry and/or position, the next step towards a promotion, a desire to expand your network, the attempt to get international exposure or an approach to leave your comfort zone and let your views be challenged.[/list]

[*]Define how important the brand of the school is for your plans. Do you have to rely on the career services team to find a job? Should recruiters have heard of your school or is that not of importance in your target industry?[/list]

[*]Do you thrive in large groups or do small team sizes allow you to excel? Would you rather have some internal competition or a focus on teamwork and collaboration?[/list]
Having answers to these questions will make your decision process easier. However, if you are still unsure in a certain area you can also come back to this later.

Now it is time to start narrowing down your selection:

Stage A — USA vs Europe vs Asia

To make this first decision, it is important to know where you are going to look for a job after the MBA. US schools have the longest history and many of them are considered the best in the world. However, the level of international diversity is fairly low compared to European schools. Harvard Business School’s class of 2017, for instance has 71% students from North America whereas INSEADs class of 2017 is diversely represented by Europe (37%), Asia (31%), North America (14%), Middle East/Africa (10%) and Latin America (7%).

Study where you want to work. U.S. schools mainly teach U.S. related business cases, give you a strong U.S. network and have companies hiring for the U.S. job market on campus. You will be perfectly prepared for the States, but if you plan on working in Europe or Asia these things will be less relevant.

The same goes for Asia: Choose a school based in Asia if you have a dedicated interest to work there, to learn an Asian language or to develop intense networking relations to the continent. If none of those apply, cross it out.

European schools are more global: you will develop deep connections to classmates from many countries and will see them re-locate to all corners of the world once the MBA is over. Anyhow, the focus is again local: you will mainly meet recruiters who are looking to hire for the European job market. And here even the country choice inside Europe becomes important because in most of the cases you will need to speak the local language of the country where you want to work in. Study in Barcelona and learn Spanish if you want to work in Spain. Go to Paris and learn French to get a position in France. If you are from Europe and plan on returning home after the MBA, consider the additional language as a plus for your profile.

Stage B — 1-year vs 2-year program

Once you are sure with the continent, you will have to pick the program length.

Do you already have a great position at work where you want to return to as quickly as possible with your newly earned MBA knowledge? Are you not interested in an international exchange program or in an industry switch where an internship could help you? Go with the 1-year option. You will experience a fully packed intensive year where you will learn all the business skills, have ample networking opportunities and start with your post-MBA job hunt from day one. However, you will not have much time to reflect and try out new things. A year is quickly over and your game plan should be set out already before you start.

The 2-year option will give you a similarly intensive first year where you will cover all the main subjects. You will have more time to find yourself and learn about all the interesting experiences from your classmates, though. The second year with its international exchange and corporate internship gives you ample opportunity to try out a new industry and re-position yourself during the MBA. If you are still open for different industries and want to take as much as possible from the MBA experience, a 2-year program is the best fit for you.

Stage C — Rankings / Tier 1 vs Tier 2

Now that you have a rough idea of how your MBA program of choice should look like, it is time to consult the rankings. In the end it is about personal fit, but rankings normally correspond to the brand awareness that recruiters have towards the several schools and are a good indicator if the schools can be considered tier 1, tier 2 or even tier 3.

Start with the schools that have been continuously in the Top 10 (Top 20) over the past couple years and cross-compare different rankings (Financial Times, Economist, Forbes, Bloomberg, Business Insider). Work your way down from the top and cross out all the schools that do not comply with your Stage A and Stage B requirements.

You should be left with only a couple of schools that make it into Stage D.

Stage D — School specific pros and cons

This is the part where you actually have to conduct your own research. You are trying to figure out which of the schools are strong in the areas that you consider important. Now it is not only about facts and figures but also about your personal feeling towards the school. Can you picture yourself studying there? Assess the following areas to get a full overview:

Campus location

  • Country / Area
  • City vs village
  • Lively and crowded campus vs quiet campus
  • Commute distance and time from housing to campus
  • Language
  • Climate
Class profile

  • Diversity of nationalities
  • Diversity of industries
  • Male / female ratio
  • GMAT average
  • Class size and overall students
Atmosphere

  • Collaborative vs competitive
  • Conservative vs liberal
  • Interpersonal relationships
  • Strength of bonds formed
  • Individual support
Curriculum

  • Electives
  • Entrepreneurship
  • Exclusive opportunities such as business labs or real world consulting projects
  • Case method vs various teaching methods
  • Grading system (bell curve?)
Intensity

  • Demanding vs relaxed
  • Amount of workload
  • Time pressure
Reputation

  • Industry ties
  • Hiring firms on campus
  • Partnership with other business schools
  • Brand awareness
  • Mission values and goals
Costs and Scholarship

  • Total tuition fees
  • Living expenses
  • Likelihood to receive a scholarship
Alumni network

  • Size and spread of alumni network
  • Interpersonal bond of alumni and personal identification with the school
  • Number, frequency, size, and location of alumni events
Industry focus

  • In which field do most graduates find a job?
  • What is the school known for?
Career services quality

  • Percentage of students finding a job after the MBA
  • Total salary and salary increase
Once you completed all four stages you will have a selection of schools that you can apply to. Get in touch with the admission team to discuss your profile and get help with your application. Be aware that a campus visit will not only give you great insight on the “feel” of the school but will also give you an edge in your application essays. Towards the admission committee, it is a strong sign of dedication and will be considered in your favor.

All the best with finding your future business school!

 

About the Author


Andreas on the roof of IESE in Barcelona

Andreas is a Class of 2018 MBA candidate at IESE Business School in Barcelona. He went from his first MBA research in October to taking the GMAT in December to getting 100% school admits in January.  As a diploma master mariner, he currently sails the world on a 500-person cruise ship where he leads 160 crew members. His interest in the management world was sparked when he interned in his families maritime ship supplier business. He loves to read about tech, innovation, and stock markets and keeps himself fit with running, gym workouts, and football.


This Blog post was imported into the forum automatically. We hope you found it helpful. Please use the Kudos button if you did, or please PM/DM me if you found it disruptive and I will take care of it. -BB
User avatar
Manager
Manager
Joined: 09 Jun 2015
Status:Accepted
Posts: 65
Own Kudos [?]: 43 [0]
Given Kudos: 1
Location: United States (IN)
Concentration: General Management, Healthcare
Schools: Harvard Business School - Class of 2017
GMAT 1: 710 Q47 V40
GPA: 3.7
WE:Corporate Finance (Pharmaceuticals and Biotech)
Send PM
Re: Current Student Blogs [#permalink]
FROM Ambitiousbusinessguy: How to pick the right business school for your MBA
Your first task is to define what you are looking for in your MBA, where you see yourself afterwards and how much effort you are willing to put into the program. Before you even start to look at schools, you should ask yourself the following questions:

  • Do you want to study abroad or would you prefer to remain in the country where you are right now? If abroad – are you planning to return or would you rather settle down somewhere else?

[*]What is your main intention of the MBA? It could be a planned change of industry and/or position, the next step towards a promotion, a desire to expand your network, the attempt to get international exposure or an approach to leave your comfort zone and let your views be challenged.[/list]

[*]Define how important the brand of the school is for your plans. Do you have to rely on the career services team to find a job? Should recruiters have heard of your school or is that not of importance in your target industry?[/list]

[*]Do you thrive in large groups or do small team sizes allow you to excel? Would you rather have some internal competition or a focus on teamwork and collaboration?[/list]
Having answers to these questions will make your decision process easier. However, if you are still unsure in a certain area you can also come back to this later.

Now it is time to start narrowing down your selection:

Stage A — USA vs Europe vs Asia

To make this first decision, it is important to know where you are going to look for a job after the MBA. US schools have the longest history and many of them are considered the best in the world. However, the level of international diversity is fairly low compared to European schools. Harvard Business School’s class of 2017, for instance has 71% students from North America whereas INSEADs class of 2017 is diversely represented by Europe (37%), Asia (31%), North America (14%), Middle East/Africa (10%) and Latin America (7%).

Study where you want to work. U.S. schools mainly teach U.S. related business cases, give you a strong U.S. network and have companies hiring for the U.S. job market on campus. You will be perfectly prepared for the States, but if you plan on working in Europe or Asia these things will be less relevant.

The same goes for Asia: Choose a school based in Asia if you have a dedicated interest to work there, to learn an Asian language or to develop intense networking relations to the continent. If none of those apply, cross it out.

European schools are more global: you will develop deep connections to classmates from many countries and will see them re-locate to all corners of the world once the MBA is over. Anyhow, the focus is again local: you will mainly meet recruiters who are looking to hire for the European job market. And here even the country choice inside Europe becomes important because in most of the cases you will need to speak the local language of the country where you want to work in. Study in Barcelona and learn Spanish if you want to work in Spain. Go to Paris and learn French to get a position in France. If you are from Europe and plan on returning home after the MBA, consider the additional language as a plus for your profile.

Stage B — 1-year vs 2-year program

Once you are sure with the continent, you will have to pick the program length.

Do you already have a great position at work where you want to return to as quickly as possible with your newly earned MBA knowledge? Are you not interested in an international exchange program or in an industry switch where an internship could help you? Go with the 1-year option. You will experience a fully packed intensive year where you will learn all the business skills, have ample networking opportunities and start with your post-MBA job hunt from day one. However, you will not have much time to reflect and try out new things. A year is quickly over and your game plan should be set out already before you start.

The 2-year option will give you a similarly intensive first year where you will cover all the main subjects. You will have more time to find yourself and learn about all the interesting experiences from your classmates, though. The second year with its international exchange and corporate internship gives you ample opportunity to try out a new industry and re-position yourself during the MBA. If you are still open for different industries and want to take as much as possible from the MBA experience, a 2-year program is the best fit for you.

Stage C — Rankings / Tier 1 vs Tier 2

Now that you have a rough idea of how your MBA program of choice should look like, it is time to consult the rankings. In the end it is about personal fit, but rankings normally correspond to the brand awareness that recruiters have towards the several schools and are a good indicator if the schools can be considered tier 1, tier 2 or even tier 3.

Start with the schools that have been continuously in the Top 10 (Top 20) over the past couple years and cross-compare different rankings (Financial Times, Economist, Forbes, Bloomberg, Business Insider). Work your way down from the top and cross out all the schools that do not comply with your Stage A and Stage B requirements.

You should be left with only a couple of schools that make it into Stage D.

Stage D — School specific pros and cons

This is the part where you actually have to conduct your own research. You are trying to figure out which of the schools are strong in the areas that you consider important. Now it is not only about facts and figures but also about your personal feeling towards the school. Can you picture yourself studying there? Assess the following areas to get a full overview:

Campus location

  • Country / Area
  • City vs village
  • Lively and crowded campus vs quiet campus
  • Commute distance and time from housing to campus
  • Language
  • Climate
Class profile

  • Diversity of nationalities
  • Diversity of industries
  • Male / female ratio
  • GMAT average
  • Class size and overall students
Atmosphere

  • Collaborative vs competitive
  • Conservative vs liberal
  • Interpersonal relationships
  • Strength of bonds formed
  • Individual support
Curriculum

  • Electives
  • Entrepreneurship
  • Exclusive opportunities such as business labs or real world consulting projects
  • Case method vs various teaching methods
  • Grading system (bell curve?)
Intensity

  • Demanding vs relaxed
  • Amount of workload
  • Time pressure
Reputation

  • Industry ties
  • Hiring firms on campus
  • Partnership with other business schools
  • Brand awareness
  • Mission values and goals
Costs and Scholarship

  • Total tuition fees
  • Living expenses
  • Likelihood to receive a scholarship
Alumni network

  • Size and spread of alumni network
  • Interpersonal bond of alumni and personal identification with the school
  • Number, frequency, size, and location of alumni events
Industry focus

  • In which field do most graduates find a job?
  • What is the school known for?
Career services quality

  • Percentage of students finding a job after the MBA
  • Total salary and salary increase
Once you completed all four stages you will have a selection of schools that you can apply to. Get in touch with the admission team to discuss your profile and get help with your application. Be aware that a campus visit will not only give you great insight on the “feel” of the school but will also give you an edge in your application essays. Towards the admission committee, it is a strong sign of dedication and will be considered in your favor.

All the best with finding your future business school!

 

About the Author


Andreas on the roof of IESE in Barcelona

Andreas is a Class of 2018 MBA candidate at IESE Business School in Barcelona. He went from his first MBA research in October to taking the GMAT in December to getting 100% school admits in January.  As a diploma master mariner, he currently sails the world on a 500-person cruise ship where he leads 160 crew members. His interest in the management world was sparked when he interned in his families maritime ship supplier business. He loves to read about tech, innovation, and stock markets and keeps himself fit with running, gym workouts, and football.


This Blog post was imported into the forum automatically. We hope you found it helpful. Please use the Kudos button if you did, or please PM/DM me if you found it disruptive and I will take care of it. -BB
User avatar
Manager
Manager
Joined: 09 Jun 2015
Status:Accepted
Posts: 65
Own Kudos [?]: 43 [3]
Given Kudos: 1
Location: United States (IN)
Concentration: General Management, Healthcare
Schools: Harvard Business School - Class of 2017
GMAT 1: 710 Q47 V40
GPA: 3.7
WE:Corporate Finance (Pharmaceuticals and Biotech)
Send PM
Re: Current Student Blogs [#permalink]
3
Bookmarks
FROM Ambitiousbusinessguy: How to pick the right business school for your MBA
Your first task is to define what you are looking for in your MBA, where you see yourself afterwards and how much effort you are willing to put into the program. Before you even start to look at schools, you should ask yourself the following questions:

  • Do you want to study abroad or would you prefer to remain in the country where you are right now? If abroad – are you planning to return or would you rather settle down somewhere else?

[*]What is your main intention of the MBA? It could be a planned change of industry and/or position, the next step towards a promotion, a desire to expand your network, the attempt to get international exposure or an approach to leave your comfort zone and let your views be challenged.[/list]

[*]Define how important the brand of the school is for your plans. Do you have to rely on the career services team to find a job? Should recruiters have heard of your school or is that not of importance in your target industry?[/list]

[*]Do you thrive in large groups or do small team sizes allow you to excel? Would you rather have some internal competition or a focus on teamwork and collaboration?[/list]
Having answers to these questions will make your decision process easier. However, if you are still unsure in a certain area you can also come back to this later.

Now it is time to start narrowing down your selection:

Stage A — USA vs Europe vs Asia

To make this first decision, it is important to know where you are going to look for a job after the MBA. US schools have the longest history and many of them are considered the best in the world. However, the level of international diversity is fairly low compared to European schools. Harvard Business School’s class of 2017, for instance has 71% students from North America whereas INSEADs class of 2017 is diversely represented by Europe (37%), Asia (31%), North America (14%), Middle East/Africa (10%) and Latin America (7%).

Study where you want to work. U.S. schools mainly teach U.S. related business cases, give you a strong U.S. network and have companies hiring for the U.S. job market on campus. You will be perfectly prepared for the States, but if you plan on working in Europe or Asia these things will be less relevant.

The same goes for Asia: Choose a school based in Asia if you have a dedicated interest to work there, to learn an Asian language or to develop intense networking relations to the continent. If none of those apply, cross it out.

European schools are more global: you will develop deep connections to classmates from many countries and will see them re-locate to all corners of the world once the MBA is over. Anyhow, the focus is again local: you will mainly meet recruiters who are looking to hire for the European job market. And here even the country choice inside Europe becomes important because in most of the cases you will need to speak the local language of the country where you want to work in. Study in Barcelona and learn Spanish if you want to work in Spain. Go to Paris and learn French to get a position in France. If you are from Europe and plan on returning home after the MBA, consider the additional language as a plus for your profile.

Stage B — 1-year vs 2-year program

Once you are sure with the continent, you will have to pick the program length.

Do you already have a great position at work where you want to return to as quickly as possible with your newly earned MBA knowledge? Are you not interested in an international exchange program or in an industry switch where an internship could help you? Go with the 1-year option. You will experience a fully packed intensive year where you will learn all the business skills, have ample networking opportunities and start with your post-MBA job hunt from day one. However, you will not have much time to reflect and try out new things. A year is quickly over and your game plan should be set out already before you start.

The 2-year option will give you a similarly intensive first year where you will cover all the main subjects. You will have more time to find yourself and learn about all the interesting experiences from your classmates, though. The second year with its international exchange and corporate internship gives you ample opportunity to try out a new industry and re-position yourself during the MBA. If you are still open for different industries and want to take as much as possible from the MBA experience, a 2-year program is the best fit for you.

Stage C — Rankings / Tier 1 vs Tier 2

Now that you have a rough idea of how your MBA program of choice should look like, it is time to consult the rankings. In the end it is about personal fit, but rankings normally correspond to the brand awareness that recruiters have towards the several schools and are a good indicator if the schools can be considered tier 1, tier 2 or even tier 3.

Start with the schools that have been continuously in the Top 10 (Top 20) over the past couple years and cross-compare different rankings (Financial Times, Economist, Forbes, Bloomberg, Business Insider). Work your way down from the top and cross out all the schools that do not comply with your Stage A and Stage B requirements.

You should be left with only a couple of schools that make it into Stage D.

Stage D — School specific pros and cons

This is the part where you actually have to conduct your own research. You are trying to figure out which of the schools are strong in the areas that you consider important. Now it is not only about facts and figures but also about your personal feeling towards the school. Can you picture yourself studying there? Assess the following areas to get a full overview:

Campus location

  • Country / Area
  • City vs village
  • Lively and crowded campus vs quiet campus
  • Commute distance and time from housing to campus
  • Language
  • Climate
Class profile

  • Diversity of nationalities
  • Diversity of industries
  • Male / female ratio
  • GMAT average
  • Class size and overall students
Atmosphere

  • Collaborative vs competitive
  • Conservative vs liberal
  • Interpersonal relationships
  • Strength of bonds formed
  • Individual support
Curriculum

  • Electives
  • Entrepreneurship
  • Exclusive opportunities such as business labs or real world consulting projects
  • Case method vs various teaching methods
  • Grading system (bell curve?)
Intensity

  • Demanding vs relaxed
  • Amount of workload
  • Time pressure
Reputation

  • Industry ties
  • Hiring firms on campus
  • Partnership with other business schools
  • Brand awareness
  • Mission values and goals
Costs and Scholarship

  • Total tuition fees
  • Living expenses
  • Likelihood to receive a scholarship
Alumni network

  • Size and spread of alumni network
  • Interpersonal bond of alumni and personal identification with the school
  • Number, frequency, size, and location of alumni events
Industry focus

  • In which field do most graduates find a job?
  • What is the school known for?
Career services quality

  • Percentage of students finding a job after the MBA
  • Total salary and salary increase
Once you completed all four stages you will have a selection of schools that you can apply to. Get in touch with the admission team to discuss your profile and get help with your application. Be aware that a campus visit will not only give you great insight on the “feel” of the school but will also give you an edge in your application essays. Towards the admission committee, it is a strong sign of dedication and will be considered in your favor.

All the best with finding your future business school!

 

About the Author


Andreas on the roof of IESE in Barcelona

Andreas is a Class of 2018 MBA candidate at IESE Business School in Barcelona. He went from his first MBA research in October to taking the GMAT in December to getting 100% school admits in January.  As a diploma master mariner, he currently sails the world on a 500-person cruise ship where he leads 160 crew members. His interest in the management world was sparked when he interned in his families maritime ship supplier business. He loves to read about tech, innovation, and stock markets and keeps himself fit with running, gym workouts, and football.


This Blog post was imported into the forum automatically. We hope you found it helpful. Please use the Kudos button if you did, or please PM/DM me if you found it disruptive and I will take care of it. -BB
avatar
Current Student
Joined: 10 Dec 2013
Posts: 39
Own Kudos [?]: 17 [0]
Given Kudos: 0
Send PM
Re: Current Student Blogs [#permalink]
FROM uwengdori - Current Student: 6 Must-have mobile gadgets for tech enthusiasts
Actually, the initial title of this work was ‘6 must have mobile gadgets for graduate students’, but it turns out they really aren’t so. Thus, I made some generalizations. To be honest, I should just call them as my favorite gadgets that I enjoyed using during my two years of grad studies. With the end of grad school reaching, I am planning to create my own dedicated website that discusses hobbies, businesses, and technology. Meanwhile, please have a look at my recent work about my favorite gadgets which I created for fun.

Click to view slideshow.

This Blog post was imported into the forum automatically. We hope you found it helpful. Please use the Kudos button if you did, or please PM/DM me if you found it disruptive and I will take care of it. -BB
avatar
Current Student
Joined: 20 Oct 2014
Posts: 56
Own Kudos [?]: 6 [0]
Given Kudos: 0
Send PM
Re: Current Student Blogs [#permalink]
FROM gmat4IMD: How would you make a Friday morning Lecture interesting?
It is difficult to keep the same energy and attention on a Friday morning in an intensive MBA like IMD. Isn’t it?
Yeah. I thought so too. But, my perspective was proven wrong the moment I heard a voice saying “Yes, it was a good decision” as we were talking about an accounting case. We all turned around to see this tall man walking down the aisle to take the center stage from our accounting professor Leif Sjoblom. And he went to introduce himself as Torkel Olrik.
In the 90s he turned around the 3rd largest bank in Denmark. Everyone’s eyes lit up at the sight of Olrik, the character we were reading the previous for class discussion.  All of a sudden, the lecture turned into a dialogue. Questions were thrown at my peers and questions were thrown back at Olrik. He managed to keep the 90 students at the edge of their seats. Suddenly the accounting class has turned into accounting, leadership, organizational behavior, strategy and what not and what what??? From his successful strategy at the bank to his experiences at various other jobs including solving family disputes of heirs, he made us want more of his experiences.
A man who made us feel the confidence of being at the right place. Well done Olrik! Can’t thank Leif enough for this experience.
I’m sure he would inspire a whole bunch of future MBAs to come. While Olrik was shining bright in the class, so did the sun outside the class… It was time for some Vitamin D.
This Blog post was imported into the forum automatically. We hope you found it helpful. Please use the Kudos button if you did, or please PM/DM me if you found it disruptive and I will take care of it. -BB
User avatar
Intern
Intern
Joined: 12 Jun 2012
Posts: 34
Own Kudos [?]: 17 [3]
Given Kudos: 7
Concentration: Entrepreneurship, General Management
GPA: 3.48
WE:General Management (Consumer Products)
Send PM
Re: Current Student Blogs [#permalink]
1
Kudos
2
Bookmarks
FROM j2insead: Reflections: My first period at INSEAD


It has been 10 weeks since I started my MBA programme at INSEAD. A couple of folks have asked me how the journey has been so far and most times I find it hard to explain. I will take a moment to describe my experience in P1. INSEAD is everything I hoped it would be. Flashback to orientation week, it was amazing how incoming students blended so easily with the unique INSEAD culture. Now let me explain: With over 80 nationalities represented, INSEAD still remains the most diverse business school on planet Earth. Now put all these people, different backgrounds, native tongues, diverse experiences and convictions into a single place. You will find yourself immersed in an environment where your emotional quotient takes a huge leap. It is indeed an overwhelming experience.

The classroom learning experience is highly reflective of INSEAD’s diverse and inclusive culture. I was assigned to a group of 5 including a Canadian consultant, an Australian lawyer, a Japanese IT consultant, and an Indian health expert. Your first two periods are spent with your group mates (with graded case studies/assignments to be completed by your group ) and you realise that in your first few weeks you need to understand how best to relate with your group mates. Thankfully, INSEAD supports you with this by providing guidelines on how to maximise the group learning experience. From understanding low and high context cultures to the importance of a team contract, you learn very quickly how to deal with cultural differences and increase your overall output as a group. The Splash project, a community development initiative, was our first task at working together as a group with one purpose. The brief was to construct a playground for kids. Despite the chilly weather conditions, the project was completed in 4 days – thanks to the supportive Splash team and dedicated INSEAD students. Never used a drill in my life but I was  drilling nails and cutting wood. Amazing experience!



Photo Credit: Splash Community Projects

I must say at this point that my group has been a big plus to my experience so far. Not only can we leverage the individual competencies of our team mates, the personal connections made during group meetings also help increase your knowledge about different industries and cultures. I am happy with the mix (very deliberately done by INSEAD) and quality of contributions by my colleagues. Everyone is well-informed, arguments are constructive, faculty is heavily seasoned hence the learning experience is awesome. There is never a dull moment in class, save for a few exceptions. I am still amazed at how much of Financial Accounting I learnt in just 5 weeks. Statistics class was always one to look forward to, thanks to our theatrical UDJ Professor who made stats a walk over for many. Exams came knocking on the door in no time and though there was a bit of anxiety, it ended up much easier than I thought. The focus is always on applied knowledge.



Back to Orientation week: I remember burning out with asking over 100 people the usual introductory questions – What were you doing before INSEAD, what is your post-MBA plan, etcetera. I could only remember a handful of names initially but as P1 commenced in full gear, the names began to stick. Our ever vibrant social media platforms also help to facilitate connections between classmates. From taxi-sharing posts to champagne crawls and ski trips, INSEADers are always up and about doing interesting stuff. In 10 weeks, I have been to 4 different countries in and outside Europe, attended numerous workshops and student planned events- chateau parties, club dinners and random meet-ups at bars in Fontainebleau. Not to forget the popular 15-minutes flash parties my house mates often organised.

Another highlight of my INSEAD experience so far has been INSEAD’s 2016 Financial Times ranking as the Numero Uno Business School in the world, moving 3 steps up from 4th place in 2015. I remember the moment when the news broke on the internet; flash parties everywhere and then a grand champagne celebration the next day held across all three INSEAD campuses in Fontainebleau, Singapore and Abu Dhabi. It was indeed a joyous moment for all. Also notable is that INSEAD is the first and only business school to achieve a “Triple first” in the FT rankings: MBA, Tsinghua-INSEAD Executive MBA (TIEMBA) and Global EMBA (GEMBA) programmes. This was certainly a proud moment for students, alumni and faculty alike. More importantly, I was even happier about my decision to study at INSEAD – there couldn’t have been a better timing (Thanks FT!).



In the midst of all this, campus and course biddings had to be done. I finally opted for the Wharton exchange for P4 and Singapore for P5. I will dedicate a whole post to “Why Wharton?” once my spot on the exchange is confirmed. Elective course biddings have commenced and I am very impressed with the options available for P3-P5 across all campuses. The course offerings are diverse: from Decision Sciences to Organisational Behaviour, Strategy, Finance, Entrepreneurship, Communication, Marketing, Operations Management… the list is endless. Most faculty are renowned experts in their field of study and I really look forward to learning from the best of the best.

Back to reality: I just completed three summer internship applications all with a deadline for today. It is amazing how writing a simple cover letter can be quite tasking especially when you obsess about every little detail. I have a few pre-readings and assignments due tomorrow and a number of meetings in the course of the week for which I need to prepare for. With a jammed schedule ahead, here I am, grasping for the next second so it doesn’t slip away. I know it will be worth it in the end and I must apply myself to learning this way. There will never again be such a time as this.

Off to a great start in P2!

PS: You can now follow my posts on the official INSEAD Student blog platform. Follow the link below to learn more.

 

Source: Reflections: My first period at INSEAD


This Blog post was imported into the forum automatically. We hope you found it helpful. Please use the Kudos button if you did, or please PM/DM me if you found it disruptive and I will take care of it. -BB
User avatar
Manager
Manager
Joined: 24 Nov 2013
Posts: 95
Own Kudos [?]: 31 [1]
Given Kudos: 9
Concentration: Healthcare
Schools: Duke '15 (M)
Send PM
Re: Current Student Blogs [#permalink]
1
Kudos
FROM From Bench to Board (Fuqua): The Difference Between Science and Business
I’ve had the fortune of meeting with a lot of talented first year MBA students over the past few months. As a recent graduate myself, I enjoyed learning about peoples’ backgrounds and their career ambitions. Sitting here on the plane returning from a recruiting event in North Carolina (I wrote this post in fall 2015), I’ve been reflecting on the exceptional talent that currently exists at the top MBA programs.

Continue reading »
This Blog post was imported into the forum automatically. We hope you found it helpful. Please use the Kudos button if you did, or please PM/DM me if you found it disruptive and I will take care of it. -BB
User avatar
Manager
Manager
Joined: 24 Nov 2013
Posts: 95
Own Kudos [?]: 31 [0]
Given Kudos: 9
Concentration: Healthcare
Schools: Duke '15 (M)
Send PM
Re: Current Student Blogs [#permalink]
FROM From Bench to Board (Fuqua): Career Development 101: Choosing a Post-MBA Company
My MBA journey at Duke Fuqua came to a close in 2015. During those 2 years I’ve written a lot of content on my thoughts on the MBA and the admissions process with a lens from my experience at Duke, and I feel this blog has pretty robust content on that. Prospective students and current students alike should find the content useful and the feedback I’ve gotten from readers reflects this.

Now that I’m done, I want to shift the content of my blog to more general post-MBA career development and leadership, since this is what I’m currently going through right now.

Continue reading »
This Blog post was imported into the forum automatically. We hope you found it helpful. Please use the Kudos button if you did, or please PM/DM me if you found it disruptive and I will take care of it. -BB
GMAT Club Bot
Re: Current Student Blogs [#permalink]
   1  ...  27   28   29   30   31   32   33  ...  44   
Moderators:
GMAT Club Verbal Expert
6920 posts
GMAT Club Verbal Expert
238 posts

Powered by phpBB © phpBB Group | Emoji artwork provided by EmojiOne